This story is sponsored by: High Street Salon, Spa & Travel
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – The Marshfield boys basketball team did all it could to stay with a high-powered Neenah team that features Division I recruit Max Klesmit, but could never quite get over the hump.
Marshfield never led and couldn’t overcome a quick 12-3 start to the second half by the Rockets, falling 79-66 in the season opener for both teams on Tuesday night at Marshfield High School.
Marshfield shot 49 percent overall (21-for-43) and hit 50 percent of its 3-point attempts (15-for-30), but committed 19 turnovers and Neenah was able to take advantage inside, shooting 64.5 percent (31-for-48).
Anthony Posteluk tied a school record with eight made 3-pointers for Marshfield. He was 8-for-12 from beyond the arc and 7-for-8 at the free throw line to finish with a game-high 31 points. He tied Joe Imhoff (1993) and Ryan Danczak (2008) for the 3-point record.
“That’s why we were as close as we were, we were making shots,” Marshfield coach Scott Scheuer said. “We didn’t get much in the lane. We held our own and we got better tonight, that’s what I wanted. Obviously, you want to win every game, but I’ve been on buses where you win by 30 and you feel terrible.”
The game was tied three times in the first half, the final time at 22-22 following Posteluk’s third 3-pointer with 9:24 to go.
Neenah led by as much as five on two occasions and were up 39-35 at halftime after Klesmit, a Wofford University recruit, scored 10 of the Rockets’ final 12 points of the half.
Neenah ripped off six points in the first 1:13 of the second half, two on offensive rebounds.
The Rockets opened it up to 51-38 on a basket by Carter Thomas, who finished 7-for-7 from the field and scored 15 points.
Marshfield closed it to within six on two occasions as Posteluk hit two more 3-pointers and Joey Goettl had a rebound and basket, but the Rockets moved it back to 14 with a 7-0 run that included a 3-pointer by Chevalier Emery Jr. with six minutes left.
“I love my guys, they’ve done everything I’ve asked,” Scheuer said. “Our margin of error is pretty narrow right now, but we’re just going to battle and compete every game, and we’ll look up and see how we did.”
Marshfield committed turnovers on three-straight possessions and Neenah led by double digits the rest of the way.
Klesmit finished with 26 points on 10 of 18 shooting, Charlie Wolfgram added 12 points, and Emery Jr. was 3-for-3 from 3-point range and scored 11 points.
Sam Hinson added 11 points and Goettl had 10 for the Tigers.
Marshfield returns to action next Tuesday, Dec. 3, at home against Holmen.
Rockets 79, Tigers 66
Neenah 39 40 – 79
Marshfield 35 31 – 66
NEENAH (79): Michael Monroe 0-0 0-0 0, Chevalier Emery Jr. 4-5 0-2 11, Adam Koellermeier 0-0 0-1 0, Max Klesmit 10-18 5-7 26, Ryan Janssen 0-0 1-1 1, Charlie Wolfgram 4-6 3-3 12, Bryce Henderson 1-1 2-2 4, Rex Bayer 0-1 0-0 0, Carter Thomas 7-7 1-1 15, Jake Dietz 4-8 0-2 8, Ethan Noe 1-2 0-0 2, Austin Schumacher 0-0 0-0 0. FG: 31-48. FT: 12-19. 3-pointers: 5-12 (Emery Jr. 3-3, Wolfgram 1-3, Klesmit 1-4, Dietz 0-2). Rebounds: 24 (Klesmit 6). Turnovers: 13. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: Klesmit. Record: 1-0.
MARSHFILED (66): Addison Hill 2-4 0-0 5, Sam Hinson 4-6 0-0 11, Bennett Koehn 3-6 0-0 9, Anthony Posteluk 8-14 7-8 31, Joey Goettl 4-8 2-3 10, Sam Roherty 0-2 0-0 0, Kyle Tremelling 0-0 0-0 0, Wyatt LeMoine 0-2 0-0 0, Matt Donavan 0-1 0-0 0, Jack Nordbeck 0-0 0-0 0. FG: 21-43. FT: 9-11. 3-pointers: 15-30 (Posteluk 8-12, Hinson 3-5, Koehn 3-6, Hill 1-2, LeMoine 0-2, Goettl 0-2, Roherty 0-1). Rebounds: 17 (Hill 6, Goettl 6). Turnovers: 19. Fouls: 21. Fouled out: none. Record: 0-1.